Barts Health NHS Trust has become the first NHS trust to implement imaging technology designed to unlock new opportunities for medical research, while upholding patient confidentiality.
The Trust, which serves one of the largest and most diverse patient populations in the country, has deployed Anonymise and Export, a new capability from medical imaging IT specialists Sectra.
Integrated within the Trust’s existing Sectra enterprise imaging solution, the technology allows anonymised diagnostic images to be seamlessly exported to a secure research environment, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual processes and paving the way for transformative healthcare research.
The new technology is integrated within the Trust’s existing Sectra enterprise imaging solution
The deployment forms part of wider activity to enhance data-driven medical research at Barts Health, with de-identified imaging data being incorporated into the recently launched Barts Health Data Platform (BHDP).
Officially launched in April 2025, the BHDP consolidates health records, scans, laboratory results, and other information into a secure, single system that researchers can apply to use.
Enabling AI and big data research
The new capability will significantly expand research opportunities within the Trust and beyond, supporting academics and clinicians in their pursuit of medical innovation.
By facilitating access to large volumes of anonymised imaging data, researchers will be able to conduct sophisticated AI-powered analyses and uncover previously untapped insights that could help tailor treatments and improve patient outcomes.
The new capability will significantly expand research opportunities within the Trust and beyond
Steven Newhouse, Deputy Chief Information Officer for Barts Health NHS Trust, said: "We are now able to provide researchers and clinicians with access to health and imaging data at a scale we’ve not offered before.
“With robust safeguards in place, this development supports more efficient, secure research and marks meaningful progress in advancing medical innovation and understanding of disease."
The deployment was delivered with support from Sectra and the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre.
A milestone for Sectra in the UK
Sectra, the company behind the technology, is an international provider of medical imaging IT solutions headquartered in Linköping, Sweden.
Its UK and Ireland operations are based in Hertfordshire, where the company has established a strong presence supporting NHS trusts and healthcare providers with imaging and enterprise systems.
The integration of anonymised imaging data into the BHDP also positions the Trust for advanced AI-led image analysis
Jane Rendall, UK and Ireland Managing Director for Sectra, said: "Healthcare professionals at Barts Health have been at the forefront of innovation with imaging technology for many years – using our platform to diagnose and inform care for a great many patients across East London. This latest initiative takes that innovation to another level, securely and safely harnessing imaging data in ways that could radically change how care is delivered.”
Rendall added that she looks forward to seeing the impact emerge for healthcare and patients alike.
Transforming healthcare research infrastructure
The integration of anonymised imaging data into the BHDP also positions the Trust for advanced AI-led image analysis, leveraging Microsoft Azure Cloud infrastructure.
This will enable researchers to apply sophisticated pattern recognition algorithms, supporting more nuanced clinical studies and accelerating the translation of research into patient care improvements.
As NHS organisations increasingly seek ways to harness data for innovation while upholding strict privacy standards, this milestone at Barts Health signals a meaningful step forward in the development of infrastructure to support large-scale, ethical, and effective medical research.
Top image: Barts Health